Sunday, April 1, 2012

Week 2 of the Weekly Organization Challenge

This is week 2 of The Good Wife's Weekly Organization Challenge! This week focused on kitchen counter tops and sink.

This is one of the hardest things for me to keep clean and organized in the kitchen. I mean, I think all the counter tops are clean and clutter free and then in the morning I wake to discover the dishes have fucked in the sink like bunnies and BOTH sides are full. The crockpot on the counter was also whoring it up the night before and invited the toaster and some food containers and a box of crackers and some chip clip and the random plastic bag from American Beauty floated in.

In short, its a totally mess and sets me off on the wrong start every morning.

The biggest problem is deciding what has to be on the counter and what needs to be put away. As someone that cooks 95% of our meals at home, there are just some things that need to live on my counters - my knives, the stand mixer, the toaster. I like to have everything handy but I also don't like everything cluttered.

I also like to create stations on the counters, so everything doesn't feel so cluttered.

Above the minioffice drawer in the kitchen, I have a lamp and the phone. This part of the counter is mainly used for office and paper work.


Again, using the same principle that states like items with like, I have put near the stove the things I use the most. I have this spice rack for common spices, as well as a plate to hold other spices. Keeping things on a plate or in a basket, allows them to be within reach but also contained to one area to be neat and tidy.


To the right of the stove, I have my utensils and my knives. I keep these here because I am right handed and when working in front of the stove I prep on the counter to the right of the stove and drop things in the pan that usually sits on the right front burner. In this corner I also have my electric can opener and my stand mixer.


Next to the sink I have containers with flour, sugar and tea. Since we use cloth instead of paper towels, I have a basket next to the sink that houses a few of them. This is mainly to keep them within reach and to appease The Good Husband, since he was a hard core paper towel user. I found that if I don't have them handy he will bitch about not having paper towels.


On the other side of the sink, I have a candle warmer, a bowl of fruit, my sad and ignored coffee maker, a plant I am slowly killing, the toaster and my cookbook collection.



Keeping the sink organized has posed a challenge for me. At one time I had a fancy soap and brush holder but it made the sink looked cluttered. I ended up swapping that out for a decorative soap dispenser. Then I didn't know what to do with the sink stoppers and my scrubbers.


Then I saw this at Target.

The small basket attaches to the side of the sink and holds my stopper and my scrubbies. The open wire allows things to drain and dry quickly. I put in on the side of the sink sans disposal, since that side is the one the collects the dirty dishes. I also put in on the inside wall to allow for slightly more space in the sink. I like that from far away, it's not too noticeable.

Organize along with me in The Good Wife's Weekly Organization Challenges

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